• Four projects funded under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) will advance regenerative ocean farming and marine innovation.
• Initiatives span Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Ireland, developing large-scale algae and seaweed aquaculture and regional innovation hubs.
• The effort strengthens the EU’s blue economy agenda, linking decarbonization, biodiversity, and local economic resilience.
Europe Accelerates Blue Economy Transition
The European Union has launched four new projects to expand sustainable algae farming and blue innovation hubs across Europe’s seas, with €5.7 million ($6.1 million) in funding allocated under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).
The initiatives — MED-Hubs, ATL.A.HUB, OCEAN GARDENS and SEAGROW — aim to create interconnected centres of innovation, scale regenerative aquaculture systems, and bring new marine biotechnology products to market. Together, they form a key component of the EU’s broader blue economy strategy focused on climate neutrality, biodiversity restoration and coastal resilience.
Announced following the EMFAF’s 2024 call for “Smart Specialisation and Regenerative Ocean Farming,” the projects will run for two to three years and involve multiple EU member states, research institutes, and industry partners.
MED-Hubs: Building Blue Innovation Networks in the Mediterranean
The MED-Hubs project will establish two major innovation hubs in Spain and Italy to connect start-ups, investors, researchers and policymakers focused on sustainable aquaculture, fisheries and marine renewable energy.
The hubs will offer pilot programmes, investment-readiness training and a “From Idea to Market” pathway designed to help emerging technologies reach commercial maturity. A “Trusted Pilots” mechanism will rigorously test and validate new solutions, increasing investor confidence and enabling replication across other EU sea basins.
Funded with €1.49 million over 24 months, the initiative will strengthen local blue economy clusters and encourage cross-border collaboration in the Western Mediterranean.
ATL.A.HUB: Strengthening Europe’s Algae Value Chain
ATL.A.HUB — short for Atlantic Hubs to Boost Marine Algae Land-Based Aquaculture and Biotechnology — will tackle bottlenecks in Europe’s algae production ecosystem.
Using large-scale facilities in Pozo Izquierdo, Gran Canaria, and Vila Franca de Xira near Lisbon, the project will develop new algae-based products and support businesses in testing and scaling technologies. It also aims to harmonise regulatory knowledge and identify replication sites across other Atlantic regions.
By combining industry expertise, research capacity, and public sector coordination, ATL.A.HUB seeks to reinforce Europe’s position in the fast-growing algae and marine biotech markets. The project will receive €1.58 million in EU funding over three years.
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OCEAN GARDENS: Testing Offshore Seaweed Farming at Scale
In Spain’s Canary Islands, OCEAN GARDENS will pioneer a 40,000 m² open-ocean seaweed farm designed to produce 300 tonnes of dry biomass annually.
The project’s floating cultivation system will monitor carbon capture potential, biodiversity impacts and local economic benefits, offering a blueprint for scalable, low-impact ocean farming. Researchers will work with government officials, coastal communities and migrant workers to ensure inclusive participation and policy relevance.
The €994,000 initiative aims to demonstrate how offshore seaweed farming can simultaneously support climate action, carbon dioxide removal and marine ecosystem restoration.
SEAGROW: Proving Regenerative Ocean Farming in Ireland
In Galway Bay, SEAGROW will test regenerative seaweed systems designed to remove excess nutrients, sequester carbon and enhance marine habitats. Beyond technology trials, the project will develop environmental standards, monitoring tools and eco-labelling systems to help scale ocean-based carbon farming across the Mediterranean and Black Sea.
The €1.58 million project will also include education and outreach for schools and communities, positioning seaweed cultivation as both a commercial and environmental opportunity.
Blue Economy Innovation with Policy and Climate Stakes
These four projects represent a coordinated European push to align marine innovation with the EU Green Deal, biodiversity strategy and circular economy objectives. By linking public funding with private-sector development, the EMFAF-backed initiatives seek to make ocean-based industries more climate-resilient while reducing dependency on imported biomass and raw materials.
The European Commission’s Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) will oversee implementation, ensuring results feed into broader EU policy frameworks, including the Sustainable Blue Economy Communication and Mission Ocean.
As global demand for sustainable proteins, biomaterials and ocean-derived carbon sinks grows, Europe’s investments in algae and regenerative aquaculture could position it as a global leader in blue innovation — and a model for climate-aligned maritime governance.
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